Uniques
by WolvesTail
Summary: Nicholas had warned her to stay away from the white fang, but as Jacklyn grows bored of making the same chairs, and drawers, and other necessities that Menagerie is in high demand for, she strikes out to break the monotonous life with her adoptive father. She never thought she'd be giving it up forever.


Broken moonlight shined above a murky cloud cover, unable to bathe Menagerie in light save for a few errant beams that snuck quick, darting touches against sand, pebbles, and thatch roofed houses. Any rain that managed to fall was gentle, a rarity for the city, and was perfect for sneaking out while Nicholas snoozed next to his work bench.

I tip-toed around creaky floorboards and held my breath as I passed his doorway, only to briefly double back and drape a blanket around his slumbering frame. It was the closest thing I ever gave to a note announcing I was going out. Pushing the cloth drapes that made up the front door out of the way, I stepped outside into crisp nighttime rain.

"I cannot _believe _you are sneaking out again," Sal said, eyeing me from his stoop next to our doorway. I eyed the kid with as much of an affronted visage as I could muster.

"Creepy, why are you lurking about? Is it your mom?" I asked, taking a moment to kneel next to him. He was only twelve, and yet when I had given him the nickname Creepy after his white fox ears and matching tail, he'd only laughed and thanked me. Well, his ears and tail weren't quite white anymore, blue markings were just starting to peek through, but he had years left before they would fill out.

Nodding, he half stood so he was taller and easily leaned into my offer of a hug. No tears welled at his eyes, no wheezing hiccups plagued his breathing, but I knew he was scared. I could feel the trembling in his boney frame. The bulky white shawl he wore hid how thin he was, but in an embrace, it was impossible to not feel how jagged his body was.

"Will you stay with me tonight?" Sal asked while pulling away.

Hiding a grimace, I thought about how long I'd been planning this foray to see the white fang. It had taken weaseling information out of older apprentices, and that wasn't easy. But then I was struck by inspiration.

"What if you came with me to a secret meeting?" I was sure this could work. How better to distract Sal and cheer him up than this?

Sal's eyes widened, and he gave that smile that I'd only seen a handful of other times.

"Really? What kind of meeting? Who's going to be there? When-" cutting him off with a shush and a finger to my lips, I stood up.

"A meeting of the white fang Creepy," I spoke in a whisper to draw out the effect. Obligingly, Sal gave an overdramatic ooh. "Sebastian told me about it. They're doing a recruitment drive, so we can go in to see. And they have a big dramatic speech about their cause and say if you can't risk your life for them then to leave and that there won't be any shame. So, I figured I'd see what tree they're barking up and check it out. You with me?"

"I wanna see it!"

Walking in the misty rain was trivial compared to the downpours we were used to. The late blue of night saturated the normally vibrant village in a sea of gloomy shades. Soft snores failed to penetrate the rough but sturdy abodes that the Faunus slept and lived in. What we were not used to, was the sheer number of fellow Faunus who were awake with us in the large side tent. The dim orange light inside was matched by the incense of some ill-gotten plant burning.

Both of us wrinkled our noses, and after a moment or two of being pressed into the crowd, I hauled Sal up on my shoulders and managed to half stagger, half leap through the crowd to get to a roomier spot. A few minutes later a red robed man proceeded to silence even the shambling motions of the crowd, by simply standing behind a podium at the front.

"Thank you all for coming," he began in a somber tone, "it is not an easy choice to make, to show support for us here. We of the white fang have fought for Faunus rights in other lands, lands where the Faunus cannot freely walk the streets as we do here in Menagerie. It is a great privilege to be recognized by each of you, to be understood and appreciated for what we do. And it is for that reason…"

If I was being honest, his speech was a bit dull compared to the vitriol I had expected, and it was far more reasonable than I would have given credit for. As the man continued, I grew more and more, well, in agreement would be a stretch, but I was certainly feeling more sympathetic, perhaps a touch endeared even.

I could tell Sal was enraptured by it. He hung on to every word the man said. And yet, I knew there existed a string of hesitation woven at his back, a kind of skepticism that tangled with his want to believe. These promises of freedom and equality were always too good to be true.

"…and if any should feel the need to turn back, to not take up this burden, now is the time. We thank you for your support, even if you have responsibilities here, you have given us your time tonight and we thank you. Everyone else, we shall-" the gunfire rang out without warning, throwing everyone into a panic.

At the first loud crack of sound, I was already sprinting out the way I came. I'd only been able to make out some of the cries over the chorus of panic but, "humans," "Grimm," and "attack" were enough to know I wanted to be anywhere but there. Without knowing which way was safe, I ran towards home. I didn't get far.

The Beowulf caught me by surprise, one massive arm shooting out and barreling into my chest. Hitting the ground hard, the air was knocked from my lungs and I struggled just to breathe. Sal was sent tumbling to ground just behind me.

Glaring, baleful orange eyes ensnared my own in their grasp as the Grimm prowled forward, confident I was no threat. When it had finally towered atop of me, teeth baring down to crunch bones, it paused at Sal's screaming.

"Stop it! Stop it, just leave us alone! Go away!" Sal had finally cried out, half torn between hapless terror and running away.

My eyes snapped upwards to Sal, panic seizing me for what would happen to him. Sucking in a gasp of air, I curled both legs to my chest and kicked up as hard as I could into the Beowulf's gut. It stumbled back a half step, before shifting back down and resting its knee into my abdomen and pressing down.

I couldn't even scream, the air forced violently out of my lungs as the Beowulf played with its food. Looking back and forth between the two of us, as if unable to decide which would make for a better plaything, it finally stepped forward putting all of its weight on me. With a wet crunch I lost consciousness.

It lumbered towards Sal, who backed away instantly. However, this served only to excite the Beowulf, who eagerly outpaced him at every turn. Leading Sal in circles for a while, it allowed itself to be darkly entertained. Wheezing and coughing, I woke in time to see the Beowulf casually stride up next to Sal, who had collapsed from exhaustion to the ground.

"No don't!" my scream tore through the night, as teeth wrapped around a throat with a wet pop. Sal cried out in anguish, pain welling up until he passed out. Satisfied, the Beowulf dropped him to the ground with a thump, before it resumed its casual pace, but this time towards me. Looking around for help, I could only make out the screams of other panicking people. It was closer now, only a few more paces and I would be dead.

I needed to save Sal, a bite like that meant he was probably losing a lot of blood and he didn't have long. It loomed just beside me, all fangs and snarling teeth. Well, first I needed to save myself. The Beowulf leaned down over me, teeth wrapping my neck. It was going to eat me. I was going to die.

The pain was somehow not as bad as I'd imagined as it tore into my neck with savage passion. Maybe it was a petty anger, or just spite, but in that moment, I bit back into the Beowulf's flesh as well. It tasted like charcoal, like ashes. My semblance activated for the first time, and I was standing up feeling confused.

My thoughts were scattered, discordant, and I felt slightly sick to my stomach. Had I been eating? Yes, yes I could taste it. Blood on my tongue, flesh between my teeth. That was normal. Wasn't it? No, not at all! How could I even think that? Walking forward ended with some heavy stumbling, before I sank to one knee. It was hard to move, nausea overwhelming me briefly. I tried to take a deep breath to calm down like my dad had taught me. It was a mistake, I could smell the sickly sweet, metallic tang of blood, and the smoke that hung in the air. Suffocating, I braced both arms against the cool sand to steady myself.

Hunger bloomed forth and it _ached_. A gnawing awareness filled me, and I looked around desperate to sate it. There, something smelled good a few feet away. It was Sal. Sal? How did I know that name? No, wait that's not important. I can't eat Sal! That's crazy. It was crazy, wasn't it? I bent down, white claws resting starkly against his body. He was cool to the touch, and now that I was focusing somewhat, I could feel a steady thrum of emotions, dimmed but present within his unconscious body. I licked my lips and swallowed heavily in feverish anticipation.

"Get the hell away from him!" the shout of Nicholas echoed clearly as he raced forward. Turning to face him, I snarled in a sudden fury, instincts screaming to maim and kill. The only thing that saved his life was that he froze when he saw me.

"Jacklyn?" he asked, half choking on the words. Frowning, I glared while I spoke.

"Yes? Who else would I be, honestly?" even as I said the words something felt off about them, like I had misjudged the distance and missed a step on the stairs. Or like how I should have just crunched that brat beneath me while I had my privacy. I was so hungry. My eyes trailed downwards again.

"What happened to you?" Nicholas asked, finding it difficult to keep direct eye contact with me. I was acutely aware of his anxiety, his fear and despair carrying the savory sweet flavor of chocolate and steak. It took a great mental effort to remember that dad was there, and he had asked a question.

"What happened?" I repeated back, giving myself some more time to think through the fog, "I was, just, walking with Sal, and then we were…" trailing off, my eyes went wide with a sudden, violent, retching understanding. I was going to be eaten, no, I was going to eat her, Jacklyn, me, I was Jacklyn. For a few moments I just hyper ventilated, claws raking into the sand as I tried and failed to grasp my own totality. It was just at the tip of my tongue, when a fresh burst of gun fire in the distance followed by a shock of fear and anger pulled on my attention hard enough to distract me.

I stood languidly, shakily, confused, and looked to where I had almost eaten myself. There was no body there, just a red patch of sand that belied I had been hurt. Taking inventory of my body I carefully tallied the differences. The dark fur of Grimm cloaked my skin, and rather than hands, those bestial white claws shone brilliantly. I was, a Grimm? A Beowulf? I looked closer, something that required considerable effort, and determined I was more akin to a Faunus and a Beowulf crossed together. A sharp snarl passed my lips. Definitely more Beowulf than Faunus.

"…of here. Alright?" dad asked, appearing lost for words. I nodded, trying to parse out what he had said, while I wasn't listening. He moved towards Sal. _MINE!_ I leapt forward and shoved him away from my Sal.

"Jacklyn stop! It's me," his voice broke a little, "it's your dad. Please." I ignored him and focused on my feelings. Everything was a jumble, and all the noise of feelings from the panicking people around me just made it harder to focus. But I knew that Sal was mine. My responsibility, my prey, to protect, to devour, to save. Shaking my head, I bent down, resting my body atop Sal's. His breathing had almost stopped, as had his heartbeat. He was dying. No. No. He is _mine_. I unwittingly used my semblance for a second time.

I blinked a few times, finding it easier to think than before, but somehow more confused about what was happening. But that was okay, Nicholas was helping to lead me somewhere, probably my home, so I had time to not think about it. I remembered that I was Sal Ra Goldstein, and also Jacklyn Auburn Ellington. And, I was also a Beowulf. That was hard to wrap my head around, especially the how that happened part. At some point we must have arrived because I was inside one of their little dwellings.

"Jacklyn, we're home now. You're safe," speaking in a rushed whisper, Nicholas embraced me in a one-sided hug that I reluctantly returned.

"Er, right. So, who am I? I mean, Jacklyn obviously, but also I'm more than that?" my voice was, surprisingly masculine, which I hadn't expected for some reason even though I was pretty sure it had always been masculine.

Nicholas swallowed thickly and began to tell me about a power called semblance. How it could manifest in children under extreme circumstances, and how that was the only thing he could think of to cause something like this. I had somehow merged myself with the Beowulf that had almost killed me, in addition to merging with a dying Sal. That seemed kind of a stretch to me, but I also couldn't shake the feeling that I should trust him.

"How do I undo it then?" at my question he shook his head, looking crestfallen.

"I'm not sure. Semblances are unique from person to person and I've never heard of a power like yours. There are some people I can ask once the panic dies down, but until then, you should stay here. People would not react well to your current appearance," at his words I looked myself over. The familiar anatomy of a Beowulf Faunus hybrid greeted me, but now my Grimm markings were a bright teal. I could tell from the soft glow that trailed my vision that my eyes too, matched that bright blue glow. Cool.

"Don't worry," Nicholas began, "we'll have you back to normal in no time."

Looking away, I refrained from telling him that I wasn't sure I wanted to go back to normal. Other than the gnawing hunger, I felt great, powerful in a way that I never could have been as simply Jacklyn or Sal or even Beowulf. Maybe, maybe I could just fake trying to go back? Yeah, that sounded like a good plan…

As it turned out, there really wasn't anyone who knew how to help me. Nicholas was too scared to send me to Beacon looking like a Grimm. So, over the next two years I faked trying to break back into multiple people, and spent my spare time becoming more familiar with my unique set of abilities. Eventually, I learned how to suppress my Beowulf features to allow for a more Faunus appearance to come through. In the end, I didn't look like either Jacklyn or Sal. I had an androgynous face with orange eyes, dark hair, a wolf's tail with a fox's markings, and fox ears with Grimm markings.

Jacklyn, Beowulf, and Sal were hopefully going to be a part of me forever, and to that end, I took a new name, as Jacklyn wasn't _enough_. It felt too small to encompass me, so I had to expand. Nicholas had a hard time accepting it, but Rajack Basil Goldwulf felt pleasant, all things considered.

* * *

Author's Note: Made this more as a character sketch, but otherwise I might take it somewhere over time. Keeping with the spirit of rwby, all named characters are based off 'fairy tale-esque stories' and I hope that came across. Anyway, thanks for reading!


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